Tip for crutches and canes



March 27, 1928.-

F. c ATKiNSON TIP FOR CRUTCHES AND CANES Filed July 19, 1926 Patented Mar. 27, 1928.

1,663,622; PATIENT uuirr arm-as ELOYFD C. ATKINSON, OEiWESTEBRhYORT? MARY-LAND,

IP 3 BU H 5= ND A EQ Application filed July 19,1926; Serial no, 123,551,

This invention relatesto improvements in tips for crutches, canes, and the l1ke,and

has as its general object to provide a tip which will possess decided advantages over rubber tips such as have heretofore been employed.

The ordinary crutch tip has a roughened under surface but in'a short while this. surinvention toprovide a crutch tip which will,

when weight is imposed thereon, tend toadhereto the surfaceupon which it is dis:

posed and which will, at thesame time,af"-- ford an increased degree of resiliency in contacting and leaving the surface so that one using a crutch- 01" cane equipped with,

the tip may use the same with comfort and without the annoyance of the transmitted impacts which attend the use of ordinary tips. n

A11otlie1' objection which is inherent in crutch tips ofthe ordinary construction is that: they are fitted over the end of the crutch or cane stafiuias the vcase may be, and,

in a short period of time the said end "of the staff of the'crutch or cane willwork its way through the tip, thus requiringreplacement of'the tip; Therefore, it is another object of the present invention to overcome this disadvantage by -providingiatip inthe construction of'which means is provided for effectually preventing any peneration of the tip by the end of thecrutch or cane staff.

Another disadvantage presented b the ordinary crutch tip is that it is fitte over the end of the crutch staff and held solely by friction so that the tip is liable to be pulled off from the staff if it becomes caught in any obstruction and, therefore, it is another important object of the present invention to provide acrutch tip which will comprise a complete unit for attachment to the plain cylindrical end of a crutch staff or of a cane, and which will be so constructed that it will be substantially permanently united to the said staff and cannot be re moved therefrom without considerable force being imposed thereon.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crutch equipped with the tip embodying the invention.

Figure. 2 is a; detail vertical sectional view through the tip.

Figure 3 is a; horizontal, sectional View taken subs antially on the lin 3-3 of, Figure 2, lbo1kingjin the direction indicated by, the arrows; i I I In thedrawings, the numeral 1 indicates the staff of a crutch or cane which does not differ in its contour or construction from common practice except that, for a purpose tobe presently explained, it is provided lower extremity, The tip embo ying the: invention includes a ferrule which is indi' cated' by the numeral 8 j and which has a" cylindrical-bore 4s into which the lower end ofthe staff? of the crutchor cane is snugly with; a transverse opening 2 I adacent its.

and: tightly fitted. The, upper portion of the ferrule may be comparatively small in diameter but the lowerportion 'is preferably flared outwardly to provide a circumscribing shoulder 5*:having aflat under face in dicated by the. numeral 6. The face 6? is spacedf abovetlie lower end of the ferrule and the said lower end of the ferrule. is preferably, in registration with the extreme' lower; endof thestaff of? the crutch'or cane; Belowithe shoulder 6, ,thie: ferrule of the" tip is exteriorly cylindrical, j providing an anchoringportion which is indicated "by the numeral 7 and which" is formed exteriorly at? its lower extremity with a circumferene tia l *outstanding bead 8 "spaced from the" said" shoulder A pin 9 is driven diametrically througlr'the opening 2'inthe lower end of the staff of the crutch or cane to which the ferrule 3 is fitted and through openings 1O formed at diametrically opposite points in the portion? of the ferrule, the ends of the pin being flush with the exterior surface of the said portion 7. In this manner the ferrule is securely and permanently connected with the lower end of the staff of the crutch or cane and securely held in place.

The cushioning element of the crutch tip is indicated by the numeral 11 and the same comprises an approximately cylindrical body form as indicatedby the numeral 14, so that the rim of this portion will engage with the surface upon which the crutch or cane is disposed, in use, andidue tothe concave formation of the engaging surface of the elastic body, the crutch tip will, when weight is imposed thereon, grip the surface by suction to prevent slipping, and, likewise, the crutch or cane is cushioned at the moment it is disposed upon the surface and likewise at the moment it leaves the surface. In this manner, a springy' and lively contact is produced as the crutch or cane equipped with the tip contacts the surface upon which the user is walking, thereby materially lessening the jar which is ordinarily transmitted to the arm pit or hand of one-using a crutch or cane.

It will be observed by reference to Figure 2 of the drawings, that the upper end of the cushioning member 11 squarely abuts the flat under face 6 of the shoulder 5 and that the upper end of the said cushioning member 11 is of a diameter approximately equal tothe diameter of the said shoulder so that there is no liability of the ferrule cutting into the rubber of which the said'n'iember 11 is formed. Likewise, due to the comparatively large area of surface contact of the face 6 of the shoulder 5 and the upper end of the body 11, there is no likelihood of the lower or head carrying end of the ferrule cutting into the body of the cushioning member 11, so that in both instances the connection of the body 11 is such that the life of the said body is materially prolonged. It will also be evident that the engagement of the head 8 upon the ferrule, in the annular recess 13 in the wall of the socket 12, serves to securely anchor the body 11 to the lower end of the ferrule and that as a consequence there is no likelihood of the cushioning body being torn loose from the ferrule through contact with obstructions which might be met wit-h in the use of the crutch or cane equipped with the tip.

It will be noted that the ends of the pin 9 are engaged by the wall of the socket in the cushioning member 11 of the tip so that the ends of the pin are prevented from coming in contact with any obstructions which might tend to drive the pin out of place.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A tip for crutches and the like comprising a ferrule having a bore to accommodate'the end of the crutch staff, a pin engaged transversely of the staff and ferrule, the ferrule having a circumscribing shoulder having a flat under face, the portion of the ferrule below the shoulder being cylindrical and being provided at its lower end with a circumscribing anchoring bead, and a cushioning member having a socket accommodating the said portion of the ferrule below the shoulder, the upper end of the said cushioning member abutting the under face of the shoulder and the wall of the socket in the cushioning member having a recess accommodating the anchoring head, said pin being retained against endwise movement by the side walls of the socket.

2. The combination with the staff of a crutch or the like, of a tip comprising a ferrule having a bore accommodating the end of the said staff, the staff and the wall of the bore having registering openings, a pin.

driven through the parts with its ends substantially flush with the exterior of the fer rule, and a cushioning member confining the lower end of the ferrule and covering the said ends of the pin.

In testimony whereof I afix my signa ture.

iuiovn o. ATKINSON. a 

